Plumbing system



Feb. 28, 1939. w. c. sHANLl-:Y

PLUMBING SYSTEM Filed July 28, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inwfenjf:

I OPTI?.

Feb. 28, 1939. w. c. SHANLEY 2y148968 PLUMBING SYSTEM Filed July 28, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.'

Feb. 28, 1939. w. c. sHANLr-:Y

PLUMBING SYSTEM Filed July 28, i954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 lli:

W. C. SHANLEY PLUMBING SYSTEM Fel 28, 1939.

Filed July 28, i954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 28,' 1939 u UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE PLUMBING SYSTEM Application July 2s, 19st, sriai No. '131,463 1o claims. 401137-111) My invention is concerned with plumbing systems, andy more especially with such a system where a vacuum breaker, so-called, is 'used for the prevention -of back siphonage-through'iiush valves used on water-closet bowls, bed-pan closets, bidets, bed-pan washers, slop sinks and any other type of fixtureV that 'flush valves maybe used on, or on any sterilizing tank or receptacle where the supply pipe or hose'is submerged in the fluid.

It is well known that in the ordinary plumbing system where a supply pipe rises through several floors, a vacuum maybe created therein, for instance, by shutting oil the water supply and siphon out of the water-closet bowl, bed-pan closet, bidet,.bedpanvwasher or slop sink, when the bowl is clogged through stoppage and the water level is above the holes in the rim of the bowl. It will also occur on side spud closet bowls where the closetspud is partiallyv or completely submerged in the'water seal, which is the normal Water level in the closet bowl. When back siphonage occurs, it pollutes the water in the supply line. In carrying out my invention ln the forms shown herein, and where it is used in connection with a flush valve, I employ .as a part of the conduit connecting the supply line with the receptacle `which may siphoned, a pipe cbnnecting the bottom of the flush valve with the bowl, in which pipe is .an aperture protected by means ,in the v pipe so that it vpermits the downward passage of the water from the supply pipe through the ush kvalve and down through the pipe .without the possibility of any o'f it escaping through lthe aperture, while said means permits the air to enter freely through the aperture incase a vacuum occurs in the supply., and thus prevents the possibility 'of the contents of the bowl being sucked back into the supply pipe, thereby .taminating its contents. A

A further feature of my invention resides in constructing the means in the conduit for preventing back siphoning so that it will also have possibly conthe function of lessening the noise of the ciischarge of the water through the valve and to the closet. While I have shown this construction as a part of `the means for protecting the system from back siphoning it will be understood Athat it might be employed independently of such means. To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto four sheets of `drawings in which the same reference characters are used to designate identical parts in all the iigures, of which.- A

Fig. 1 isA a vertical section through one type of ilush valve having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. V2 is a. sectional view of a still more simplified form of my novel vacuum breaker and silencer; ,Y v` l Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, on a smaller scale, showing the complete system;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section showing the preferred form in which I have embodied my invention;

' Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 4, with the ush-valve casing omitted;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view, partly in section, of the struc--A Vture shown in Fig. 4, with an adapter added by which my invention may be employed in systems already installed;

- Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the adapter used in a connection pipe and em- ,d

ploying the flange shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section of another specic form of my generic invention;

Figs. 10 and 11 are central vertical sections of two lother specific forms;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line I2--I2 of Fig. 11;

Figs. 13 and 14 are central vertical sections of Fig. 15 is a view of the form shown in Fig. 14 with a dilerent stream contracting element substituted for use ywith blow-out bowls; and

Fig. 16 shows the specific form of vacuum breaker shown in Fig. 4 applied to a water-closet tank.

- In Fig. 1, I have shown a common type of iiush valve I0 with its connection to a supply line Il (as seen in Fig. 3), and with a connection pipe I2 which opens in the customary manner to the top of the ordinary closet bowl, likewise shown in Fig. 3. lWith'this type of flush valve, in case a vacuum occurs in the supply pipe, it'tends to extend throughv the connection II, the chamber I3 in the valve below'the diaphragm I4, through the passage I5 in the lower half I6 of the valve casing, and through the passage Il in the upper by whih it is held 1n piace preferred' specic form of 'of the valve'casing 1,6 by the connecting sleeve ,25

screwed onto said bottom. In the specific form shown, I secure in the walls of the tube I2k a transverse tube 26, which has the general form of an i inverted cross, with -its upper'vertical 'portion internally threaded 'to receive the adjusting screw 21, the reduced lower en d ct which is adapted to co-operate with the'small upper end 29 oi' the flaring tube secured in the boss 3| constituting the lower part of the transverse tube. lI lhe lower, large end 32 vof the flaring tube 30 comes almost to the inner circumference 0I the connection tube I2, forming an annular passage 33 between the ilaring tube and the connection tube.

which passage is suiiicient to allow a free flow oi'v water downwardy during the ushing operation, but which materially reduces the effective crosssectional area of the tube, thereby materially reducing the noisecaused by the passage o! the water. The ends of the transverse tube 26 form, as it were, a pair of apertures 34 in the connection tube, which apertures are preferably protected by the hood-like ange formed on the bottom of the connecting sleeve 25'. v

When the vacuum occurs and reaches the connection tube, and before the contents of the bowl can be siphoned, it is'broken by reason of air entering the apertures 34, as indicated by the arrows, passing downward through the flaring tube 30 and up through the annular passage 33,' thus instantly relieving the vacuum and preventing the possibility of the contentsof the bowl being sucked back into the supply pipe.

In Fig. 2, I show a simplified form in which the inclined small end 2!! of the flaring tube 30* opens into the aperture 34 in the side o1' the connection tube I2,vthe operation being the same as with the form shown in Fig. 1, except that it doesnot have the adjustable feature. 'I'his adjustment is advantageous in that it permits adjusting the effective area oi' theapertures 34' to' meet the requirements of the variousV sized orilflces in the different types of flush valves, and when the mainvalve-seat washer on the ilush valves leak a half a gallon of water per minute at a working water pressure of eighty pounds,'as is required by some various States, this regulation permits adjusting the size of the orice so it will break a. vacuum to meet the above-mentioned requirementswith aminimum of noise, and, once set, has no movable parts.

In Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, I have illustrated the the various generic forms disclosed, in which specific form. the transverse tube 26 is made integral with an annulus 28a, which at its upper end has the iange 24* against the bottom y of the valve 'casing by the connecting sleeve 25,

as before. The lower end of the annulus 28'fis externally threaded, as at 28h, and the connection tube I2 is thereby screwed onto the annulus, as shown. The boss 3I is externally threaded and has screwed thereon the Bakelite member 30D, which in part corresponds to the flaring tube 30 of Fig. 1. The member 30b preferably has its upper end tapered, as shown, while its lower end is cylindrical, and is close enough to the interior ci the tube I2 so that it forms the same reduced annular passage for the same identical purpose, as

of the city ordinances in 2,148,968V stands above the holes vin. the rim, andV 1f no I occurs in the form shown in Fig. 1. -The hollow interior is preferably tapered to below its centr al point, where it is internallythreaded to receive the threaded upper end lillc of the plug 30d, which upper end is provided with the plurality of apertures (i0e leading. $0 the conical portion 30f of the plug, the lower end 301,01 which is slightly less in diameter than the bottom of the member 30h. It` preferably tapers slightly inward at its bottom, as seen at 30h. When the parts are screwed in place, there is a small annular aperture 301 between the bottom of the member 30h and thev adjacent portion of the plug 30d. When the parts -are assembled,.as shown, there will be seen to be an air passage from the exterior through the passage 23b inthe tube 268, downward through the apertures 30 and out through the aperture 301. The `ilow of water past `this aperture 301 sucks air through the passage formed in the elements 261, 30 and 30d, ing the air passage free from any foreign matter which might tend vto gather therein, and further to protect the air passage against any possible clogging, I form the plug 30d of Bakelite, as well as the member 30h, it being understood that if ordinary materials, such as brass, were employed, the chemicals with which city water is ordinarily treated to kill the bacteria would cause the brass to corrode and the apertures 30 and 30'! would tend to close, so that the apparatus would not be in condition to operate it the siphoning eiect which it is designed to prevent should occur.

It is desirable in practice to regulate the amount of air that can pass through the apparatus, and '.for which purpose the screw 21, shown in Fig. 1, is employed. In the specific form shown in Fig. 4,

the passage 2l!b is `located eccentrically in the tube ertures 34 exactly register with the passage 29h,

the e'ective area will be correspondingly reduced.

with the result of keepsize as the passage 29h. Slots for The specic arrangement shown in'Fig. 4 is employed where the apparatus is originally installed with the ush valves. It frequently happens, howeverfthat the apparatus must be installed inconducting tubes I2 already in place, and where the tube I2, as shown in Fig. 7, has the customary Iilange 24, enough 'of the length of the pipe is cut on from the bottom, and what I call the adapter 31, which has its upper reduced end internally threaded, "is screwed onto the threaded lowere'nd 281101 the annulus 28". The collar 38 is then screwed in place on the threaded exterior oi' the adapter, and its flange catches the flange 24 of the connection tube I2 and the and the bottom of the .adapterv 31, with the inal result thaty the parts operate just as shown in Fig. 4. Where the connection tube I2 does not employ the flange 24, as seen in Fig. 8, the necessary amount is cut off of its lower end and it is brought upward until lng 39 being sufciently compressed thereby to' hold the parts with suihcient security.

aisance In Fig. 9, I have shown a structure somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 4, except that, instead of employing the plug Sd, I screw the tube 4U, with the lateraloutlet Il at its lower end in the upper end of the member k, which has the same function as the member 3l)b of the specic form shown ln Fig. 4. The arrows indicate the vcourse of the air in breaking the vacuum, and the water falling past the outlet 4I which is just below the end of the member 30k, tends to draw air in through the tube 40, as before.

In 'Flg. 10, I show still another speciic form, in which the eccentric members 21'L are employed for the adjustment, and the vertical tube I6 is threadedinto the boss 3| and has its lower end -cicsed by the plug 4l', and is supplied with the intermediate apertures I8. A cylindrical shell 49 surrounds the tube and is supported therefrom by the preferably tapered head 50, which closes its upper end, and the annulus 5I closingv its lower end is spaced away from the bottom of the tube to leave the annular outlet I2 for the air.

In Fig. 11, I show still another modification, in

which the eccentric screw members 21* might,

be employed for the adjustment, and in which a cylindrical shell 53 is suspended in the connection of the valve.

pipe I2 by the preferably truncated conical plug 54 closing the upper end of the shell and having its reduced upper end threadedinto theboss Il.

into the conduit i2 terminates in the tube I8 having the same functionvas the annulus Il, and it is supported bythe haring portion 8|, which contracts the stream smoothly and noiselessly and takes the lplace of the'ilaring tubes 3l, 3l'- Iand 30".

In' Fig. 14, I have illustrated a preferred form of the vacuum breaker shown in Fig. 13, in which the annulus 28 has its upper end threaded diretly into the lower end of the ush-valve 'casing I0, and has the sleeve 35* protecting the apertures 3l threaded onto the upper end of the` annulus 28 against the bottom of the valve casing lll, with the sleeve 35 and the annulus 28 soldered to the casing Il) so that they cannot be removed. It sometimes happens that in' ignorance of the function of the vacuum breakers not built into or permanently secured to the ilush valve, they are removed and not replaced, leaving the device still operative but unprotected from pollution. Ii thev flush valve must also be removed in getting rid of the vacuum breaker, the system would then be entirely inoperatve and useless until another flush valve was installed, which, if up to date, wouldbe provided with a vacuum breaker. The nipple 281 extends below the short arinf,r portion El* of the generally tubular flow resisting member 59,

which has its upper end exterior-ly threaded and screwed into the bottom of the annulus 28,the operation of this form being the same as, that shown in Fig. 13, but the restriction ,of the flow area not being so great as it is intended for general use instead of for blow-out bowls, as would be the case where the restriction is as great as in Fig. 13. In Fig. 15, I illustrate precisely the same construction as in Fig. 14, except that the flow restricting member 68h has the longer ne@ ing portion 8 lb, which furnishes the same amount oi' restriction as that shown in Fig. 13, so it is adapted for blow-out bowls. In installing these devices, the member S9* o r 591 will be employed as the situation demands.

My invention is equally useful as applied tc the tank type of flushing or liquid level or ster ing means, and in Fig. 16, I have shown the speciiic form of `vacuum breaker shown in Fig. 4 as applied to the customary tank 62 having the outiet 63 closed by the valve lifted by the cord or wire 65 when the bowl isto be flushed. The supply pipe 68 terminates in the elbow 81 having the nozzle G8 forming a valve seat 'in the casing 69, likewise supported by the elbow 61, and in its turn supporting the illling pipe 10 depending therefrom. Mounted in the extension 'Il of the casing 69v is the sliding valve 'i2 co-operating with the valve seat and controlled by the bail iloat 13 carried by the lever 'i4 fulcrumed at l5 on the bracket 'I8 carried by the lling pipe 'lil'. Its load arm is connected by the link 'l1 with the lever 'i8 fulcrumed in the casing 1I at l'lil and passing through a slot in the valve 12. When .the valve 64 is lifted and the water discharges until it reaches the top of the outlet 63, the ball 'aoat 13 falls, pulling the valve 12 away from lits seat,- and allowing the tank to fill until it reaches the level determined by the top of the overow pipe 8|, -at which level the water holds the ball oat 'I3 high enough tokeep the valve the modern flush valve, as shown'in Fig. 1, is

used with closets, as only in abnormal conditions are the discharge outlets into the bowl ever submerged so that its contents could be sucked up.

The tanks are seldom, if ever, cleaned, and bacteria can thrive inv-the stagnant water always ifound in their bottoms, and every timea'vacuum occursin the supply line, there is a certainty of 'contamination if a vacuum breaker is not employed.

It will be noted that in all the foregoing forms, the water is discharged past the tubular member in a stream, annular in cross section, and having an area which does not exceed. and may be materially less than, fifty per cent. of the area of the connection tube, and that the downward ow oi the water tends to draw a stream of air through the center of the tubular member and discharge the same with the flow of the water. Also that in case of a vacuum being produced in the supply pipe, -which would cause a backsiphoning action, the air to relieve the vacuum passes into the connection tube the same as during a discharge, but in that case rises about the tubular member and enters the flush valve or ball-cock through which it passes to the supply pipe.

le I have shown and described my'invention as embodied in the forms which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purpOses, it will be understood that it is capable of modications, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following esthe consisting of a transverseltube extending across Y themember and having a longitudinally extending tube depending therefro and opening thereinto, and ascrew member \having an eccentric,l

aperture therein cooperating with an open. end of the transverse tube to regulate the amount of air admitted therethrough.

2. As a new and useful article of manufacture for use in plumbing systems, a connection mem- "ber through which water is adapted to be discharged for flushing at intervals having an airinlet therein through which only air may intentionally enter the system and in iits interior a tubular portionhaving its larger lower end leaving an annular space between said endland the inner wall of the cormection member and its smaller upper end opening into a transverse tube which has an open end secured in the side of the connection member and registering with vthe airinlet,said transverse tube having a screw member threaded into it so that the effective size of said air-inlet may be regulated.

3. As a newvand useful articlel of manufacture for use in plumbing systems, a vacuum breaker and silencer adapted to be inserted in a. connection forming part of a continuous conduit through which water passes and consisting of an annulus having a transverse tube therein with aY nipple extending downwardly from the center thereof, a flaring shell extending downwardly from the nipple, and a plug substantially closing the bottom of the shell.

4. As a new and useful article of manufacture for use in plumbing systems, a vacuum breaker and silencer inserted in a connection tube and consisting of an .annulus within which is a tubular member having an air-inlet opening through duce the effective cross-sectional area of the conduit more than 40%, said tubular portion having an air passage through it terminating at its lower end in an annular aperture past which the water discharges, said annular aperture be- `ing formed by thev bottom of the tubular portion proper and a plug carried thereby.

the annulus .to the atmosphere, and having its' i lower larger end compelling the liquid passing through said annulus and connection tube tof',r

downwardly projecting nipple directly connected i., when assembled to the atmosphere only through pass the member as a hollow stream of a crosssectional area substantially less than that of the connection tube, and an adapter threaded on to the bottom of the annulus and having an external threadfor the purpose described.

` 5. As a new and useful article of manufacture for use in plumbing systems, a member forming a part of aconduit through which water is discharged at intervals having an air-inlet in Aits side, and a tubular inner portion supported in the member and having its upper end connected to the air-inlet and its lower end serving to re- 6. Anarticle of manufacture as described in claim in which Athe plug extends belowzsaid annular aperture and has a cylindrical periphery of slightly less diameter than Lthe external dlarneter of the tubular memberl*` 7. As a new and useful article of manufacture for/use in plumbing systems, a connection member having in its interior a tubular portion having its lower end leaving an'annular space' between said end and the inner wall of the connection memberjand its upper end connected with an air inlet through the side of the connection member, and means for controllingthe eiective size of the air inlet. v

8. ,As a new and useful articleof manufacture for use in plumbing systems to prevent accidental unwanted vacuums loccurring above itga connection member which, when assembled,

forms part of a continuous conduit which has in its interior a. tubular portion leaving an annular space for the passage of water between said tubular portion and the inner wall of the connection member and its smaller upper end opening into a transverse tube which has its open ends secured in the sides of the connection member.

9. As a new and useful article of manufacture for use in plumbing systemsa connection member having in its interior a tubular portion consisting of a transverse tube secured at its ends in the connection member andhaving depending therefrom a truncated :conical shell, ,into the bottom of which is threaded a plug leaving a narrow adjustable annular air outlet between it and the bottom of the shell, said connection member having an air inlet opening into Ythe transverse tube.

10. As anew and useful article of manufacture V for use in plumbing systems, a vacuum breakerA connection forming a part of a continuous conduit through which water ows at intervals, and

consisting of a tubular portion havingtherein a ithe side of the tubular portion, and having a funnel shaped portion therein surrounding the nipple and causing water to pass outside of the nipple in a hollow stream having a cross-sectional area substantially lessv than that of the tubular portion above it, saidfunnel shaped portiorr being removable and replaceable-by a similar,`\ but differently proportioned portion when a diffrent pressure of water is to be used.

WILLIAM C. SHANLEY. 

